The Noble Sacrifice
by Ryan Brandt
Summary: A member of Young Justice gives their life to save their comrades... but then something... strange happens... *Completed*
1. The Noble Sacrifice: Prelude

"Oh my God... I can't believe he's gone..." Robin said as he took off his mask to let tears shed for his fallen comrade.  
  
"I just can't believe he did what he did for us. I would never thought he'd be capable of doing that at the expense of his own life... if I had only known he'd do this, I wouldn't have called him obnoxious earlier." Arrowette said hanging her head down low because of her sorrow and her regret.  
  
"So... so what do we do?"  
  
"Well Secret... somebody's gotta call the JLA..."  
  
"I'll do that Robin. I'll call Diana so that she can inform everyone else. But who'll call his home?"  
  
"I'll do that, since it was partially my fault anyway... God, it's going to break Max's heart when he hears the news." Kon says cradling a little piece of spandex.  
  
"It's still hard to believe that Bart is dead." Robin says bringing his hands up to his face.


	2. Chapter 1: What Am I?

It's been a week since the reports of the death of one Bart Allen aka the teen Super-Hero known as Impulse. Since then his comrades in YJ and his family both mourn his death... but it's all about to change.  
  
Saturday Night: Central City, Missouri.  
  
It was a calm peaceful night for Andy Barber (Brown hair with gray streaks, blue eyes) and Troy Mckintyre (Red hair and brown eyes), two Central City Policemen. As they finish driving around the outskirts of the city and prepare to head back to the Station, they pass by an old sign that reads "Central City, Home of the Scarlet Speedster, the Flash".  
  
"Man, I haven't been around here for a long time. Sad to think that he's no longer with us." Andy said as he lowered his head a bit.  
  
"What do you mean? He just relocated to Keystone City!"  
  
"No, no, I'm not talking about that upstart Wally West... I mean his predecessor. The second and in my opinion the best Flash there ever was. Why, I remember a time he and Kid Flash saved my..."  
  
*Kraka-boom*  
  
"Whoa! You hear that?" Troy yells as he looks up to the sky to see the sky suddenly darken and flashes of lightning appear and thunder is heard roaring.  
  
"Yep. Strange... I didn't think a Thunderstorm was in the weather forecast for tonight, but I'm thinking it's the Flash's way of telling us to go home and to not talk trash to his successor's."  
  
"Speaking of which, did you hear what happened to that new Kid Flash? I think his name was Impulse?"  
  
"Yeah, shame too. The one to die is always the one you least suspect..." Andy says as the Police Car speeds up and leaves the scene.  
  
Good thing too, because without warning, a lightning bolt strikes the ground with a loud  
  
***KRAKA-BOOM*** and after the light dissipates, we see Impulse on his hands and knees, breathing heavily.  
  
"Ugh... *Looks around to see the sign bearing the likeness of his Grandpa Barry* I... I did it... I really did it!" Bart yells as rain starts pouring down on him. As he stands up, we see that back portion of his collar is ripped off.  
  
"Man, I can't wait to tell Max what I did! He'll be so proud of me... oh, and then I've got to tell the gang what happened too..." Bart hurriedly thinks as he speeds off towards Manchester, Alabama.  
  
In the House of one Maxwell Crandall and Helen Claiborne...  
  
"Max, I'm worried about you. Please come and eat." Helen pleaded to her father. Max is currently sitting in a recliner, and hasn't budged an inch.  
  
"No. I'm not in the mood."  
  
"Please, you shouldn't take it so hard! It wasn't your fault Bart died! He sacrificed himself to save his teammates!" and just at that moment, Bart vibrated thru the front door and said...  
  
"Hiya Max! Hiya Helen! Wait till you hear what's been happening to me!" Bart said as he strolled out in front of them.  
  
Bart was a little perplexed when he saw that neither of them noticed him.  
  
"Um, yoo-hoo, you guys do know that I'm here, right?" Bart said waving his hand in front of Max's face, not understanding what was going on.  
  
"It was my fault! I'm his guardian and I failed him! I let him get killed..."  
  
"What? Killed?" Bart thinks to himself.  
  
"Stop blaming yourself!"  
  
"I can't! After I think of all the things Bart has done for me... I... I just can't excuse myself for sitting here and letting him get blasted to pieces!" Max said as he turned around and started walking right towards Bart. "I should've... Argh!" Max yelped as he walked straight through Bart and fell to the ground.  
  
"MAX!" Helen yelled as she ran to him and helped him back up.  
  
"What happened to you?"  
  
"I... I'm not sure... it felt as if something cold invaded my body... more or less like someone shoved a knife through my heart..." and as Max says this, Bart looks at himself in shock.  
  
"What... what's happened to me?" Bart thinks as his face looses all happiness only to be replaced by shock.  
  
"Are you feeling better?"  
  
"A bit... but it's just not going to be the same without him."  
  
"Stop saying that! I'm right here!" Bart yells as he tries touching Max again only to have his hand phase through Max's body and he screams again.  
  
"Max, let me get you to bed..." Helen says as helps him back up again and they leave the room.  
  
At this point, Bart was starting to become hysterical. The fact that neither Max nor Helen was able to see Bart, he passed through matter like he was vibrating and no one could hear him all lead him to the same conclusion.  
  
He was dead.  
  
But he refused to believe it.  
  
"I can't be dead... I just can't be... I CAN'T!!!" Bart screams as he races out of the house with tears emerging from his eyes...  
  
And in a place where the entire background is white... beings of pure light are conversing.  
  
"The boy has realized just what has happened. He cannot be allowed to stay in that plane any longer." One being of light said.  
  
"Well, who shall we send to retrieve him? Death?" Another being of light said.  
  
"Why don't I go?" A man said as he stepped out to where these beings of light were talking.  
  
"You? Why should we send you to fetch this boy?"  
  
"Because he'll trust me. After all, I am his Grand-Father."

-TBC-


	3. Chapter 2: Can Anyone See Me?

Nestled in a little corner of the Justice Cave, sits one Bart Allen. He is shacking and crying from learning a hideous horrible truth.  
  
Bart Allen aka Impulse, to the general masses, is dead. And even as he is accepting this, he is speedily mumbling to himself what type of nightmare world he's trapped in.  
  
"Is-This-Heaven,-Can't-Be,-GrandMa-Said-Heaven-Was-A-Nice-Place… Or-Is-This-The-Speed-Force,-Or-Is-This-What-Hell-Is,-Because-It's-Increadibly-Awful… I-Just-Don't-Know,-I-Just-Want-It-To-End..." Bart continued to mumble as we shift focus from the Justice Cave to...  
  
Central City, Missouri.  
  
The storm still rages on, and as it does, another bolt of lightning streaks down from the sky and...  
  
***KRAKA-BOOM*** and when the light dissipates this time, a Blond haired, blue-eyed man in his mid 30's in a blue suit wearing a brown trench coat, is now standing. The first thing he does is look to his left to see the old sign and as he sees it, he smiles.  
  
"I'm... I'm back! I'M BACK!!!" The man yells as he holds his hands up to the air and rain continues to pour on him.  
  
But after he does this, his enthusiasm fades. He's not here to enjoy the pleasures of the physical world, he's here to collect a poor lost soul... that got lost on it's way to Valhalla. He sighs a bit and looks around. That's when he sees a spectral trail left by Bart's wake as he runs.  
  
As the man sets his right foot down and prepares to run for the first time in a long time, he stops and remembers someone he knew was back in this era... someone that he hasn't been with in a long time...  
  
"Iris..." he says in a soft tone. He begins to change his posture to run in another direction, but then suddenly, the words fly back into his head...  
  
"Remember, the mission is paramount! The boy cannot stay in that plane of existence for very long! Do not allow yourself to get distracted by other things!" the voice pounded in his head as the man wearily re-shifted his position.  
  
Then for the first time in a long time, Barry Allen runs... like lightning.  
  
***KRAKA-BOOM!***  
  
Back in the Justice Cave, Secret flies in, coming back to the only place that seems like home to her nowadays. As she is contemplating what to do, she hears a peculiar sound...  
  
Someone sobbing. Wondering who it could be since she was sure she was alone, she wandered the halls until she peeked her head around a corner to see Impulse.  
  
"Bart?" she said as he slowly lifted up his head to see Secret fly around the corner to greet him.  
  
"*Sniff* ...Secret?" Bart said as tears were still strolling down his face.   
  
"Oh my God Bart, we all thought you were dead!" and with that statement, Bart's eyes lit up and he rushed her with super-speed and grabbed hold of her.  
  
"Oh-Secret,-It's-So-Terrible… After-Taking-The-Bomb-I-Ran-And-Then-I-appeared-In-Central-City… Then-I-Raced-Home-But-Max-And-Helen-Couldn't-See-Me… They-Kept-Saying-I-Was-Dead-And-I-Walked-Through-Max… And-Then-I-Came-Here-And-Then-You-Showed-Up-And-You-Can-See-Me-And..." Bart was saying so fast, Secret couldn't comprehend a single word. He kept hugging her though, and his head rested on her shoulder.  
  
"*Shush* It's okay, Bart. Just rest a bit. I'll stay here with you." Secret said as she started swaying herself from side to side. She also took her left hand and patted his head.  
  
And Bart continued to cling to her.  
  
-TBC-  
  



	4. Chapter 3: Am I Alive or Am I Dead?

It is now Dusk at the Justice Cave. Bart is asleep on the floor, nestled in a shadowed corner of the cave. Above, floating silently, is Secret.  
  
After cradling him in her arms last night, she tried to ask him about what happened... but Bart's journey and emotional outbursts left him weakened and try as he might not too, he eventually fell asleep. Secret kept watch on him all night... because she worried that if she so much as blinked, Bart would disappear and be revealed as nothing more than a delusion.  
  
Just then, Secret heard the Super-Cycle purr as it whizzed on by her. Then seemingly creeping out of the shadows like some horror monsters, Robin stepped by her.  
  
"Good Morning, Secret. How was your night?"  
  
"Oh! It... It was pretty uneventful." Secret said turning her eyes upon a groggy Bart who was awakened by the incoming Super-Cycle. Robin happened to glance at the corner, but as with Max and Helen, all he saw was a corner of empty air.  
  
"Hmm. Well, I've called a meeting, so when everybody has made it in, proceed to the conference room." Robin said as he walked on down the hall.  
  
By now, Bart knew he was awake and stopped fighting the urge to go back to sleep. At first, he imagined that all the horror he went through the previous day was some hideous nightmare, caused by too much snack food and playing "Resident Evil: Code Veronica" on his Dreamcast. But when his eyes focused on Secret and the Cave behind her, the grim reality set back in, and Bart became depressed.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Not really." Bart said with a pout on his face as he started to stare at the floor.  
  
"Well, Robin has issued a meeting, so I'll try to tell the gang your alive then."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Meanwhile, halfway across the globe, Barry Allen follows the spectral trail left by his Grandson, Bart Allen. Barry is now running over the country of Japan.  
  
"I didn't imagine that the trail would be this long! Poor Bart... whatever happened at house must've really knocked him for a loop... there's no rhyme or reason to his tracks!" Barry thinks as he LITERALLY runs in a crazy 8 pattern 3 times around two buildings in Kyoto, Japan.  
  
"I hope my Grandson took a breather and isn't still running or I might not catch up!" Barry thought as he rocketed out of Japan and started running across the Ocean back to America.  
  
Back at the Justice Cave, all the members finally arrived, and the meeting had begun.  
  
As Robin began discussing today's agenda, Bart looked around the table and noticed that nobody saw him at all... not even Superboy, who was staring right at him.  
  
"I was thinking that tonight we could patrol DC... I've been hearing rumors of a new drug that's been circulating in the area, which is being given to Teens. It's a mixture of the drug Tar and the drug Venom, which is producing super-strong teens, but it's having drastic side effects. I hope that you agree..." Robin continues as Bart begins tugging on Secret's shoulder.  
  
"Don't you think it's time to tell them I'm still alive?"  
  
"Sssh, I'll tell them in a little bit." Secret whispered, but Robin heard and asked...  
  
"Did you say something, Secret?"  
  
"Uh... no."  
  
"Hmm... well, going back to where I was before..." Robin said as Bart continued to talk to Secret.  
  
"But I really think we should tell them!"  
  
"Sssh Bart, be patient!" Secret said as she turned to see everyone looking at her.  
  
"Are you all right Secret?" Robin said as Kon leaned over to whisper...  
  
"I think she's losing it, Alvin."  
  
"NO! It's... just that I had a rough night last night and I'm mumbling because of it?" Secret says as Robin gives her a curious look, based on the fact that she said it was an uneventful night last night for her.  
  
By now, Bart's usual impulsiveness set in and he began screaming...  
  
"I'M RIGHT HERE GUYS!!! CAN'T YOU SEE ME?!?" to which nobody responded except Secret who yelled...  
  
"Bart, please stop screaming in my ear!!!" and looking at her teammates befuddled faces again, Secret just sighed.  
  
"Looks like I have to tell them now..." Secret said as she got up from her seat.  
  
"Okay, this is going to sound strange... but Impulse... Bart is still alive." and when Secret said this, expressions ranging from shock to surprise appeared on their faces.  
  
"Well, where is he?" Robin asked.  
  
"He's right here." She said as she pointed to her right. Bart smiled and waved, but as usual, everybody just saw a pocked of air.  
  
"Yep, she's cracked." Kon quipped as he then said, "Is that Harvey the bunny on your right?"  
  
"You may think I'm nuts, but Bart is alive. And I'll prove it to you!" She said as she caused smoke to cover the area where Bart was standing, and now everyone was able to see a Silhouette of him. Bart was waving his hand as super-speed.  
  
"Oh my god, I can't believe it! You're alive!" Arrowette said as she got up from her chair and tried to hug him, only to have Bart wave his hands from left to right and his mouth was moving.  
  
"Better stay away Cissie. Bart's telling me that when anybody touches him, something bad happens."  
  
"O-kay." Cissie said as she backed off.  
  
"Secret, do you mind asking them some stuff about my death? I mean... like where I died?" Bart asked with wide opened eyes.  
  
"Yes. Um, Bart wants me to ask where he died. I guess it's to help piece together what happened to him."  
  
"Well, if he's with you, instead of tell him, why don't we... show him." Robin said as he got up from his seat and headed for the hangar. The others got up and began to head there too. Bart looked at Secret for a split-second, then grabbed her hand and ran to the hangar.  
  
As the 'smoke-screened' Bart ran past his teammates dragging an exasperated Secret with him, the other members let out a little laugh to see their impulsive friend back within their ranks. But then they realized that he really isn't back, now is he? He's here... but yet he's not. And that unsettles them.  
  
As the YJ members reach the Hangar and begin piling into the Super-Cycle, Secret flies out of Bart's grasp, and heads to the Super-Cycle to take the seat next to Robin.  
  
"Secret?" Bart asks in a low voice.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you mind if I carry you, instead of you riding in the Super-Cycle? You're the only one who can see and touch me... and... I don't wanna be alone when I follow you guy's there..." Bart said with pleading eyes as his lips began to tremble.  
  
Secret floated there, staring at Bart who was rapidly deteriorating emotionally.  
  
Bart was the most childlike person Secret had ever met. The supreme contrast to Robin, who was almost always silent and calculating... like a mountain. But as she continued to look at Bart... as a tear started to form in his right eye, she also realized that he was the most emotional person she had ever met... much like herself. And in the end, Bart's puppy dog eyes won as Secret's heart told her to go with him.  
  
"Okay Bart, I'll go with you." She said as she floated back towards him. As she put her feet on the ground, Bart immediately swept her off her feet and held her in his arms.  
  
Her smoke billowed around him again, revealing a big smile on his face.  
  
"Okay, you guy's lead off and we'll follow you." Secret said as the Super-Cycle purred and roared out of the Young Justice Cave.  
  
Bart followed as he raced out of the Cave. As he left, another streak of light entered the cave.  
  
As he ran with Secret in his arms, the wind was whipping her face, so she laid her head on his shoulder and her cheek touched his.  
  
Bart was oblivious to the concept of women. Having a metabolism that aged you to a teenager within a week will do that to you as being raised in a VR world. While having adjusted somewhat to the real world, he still had much to learn. Perhaps, it's because he took everything he had for granted. Like being able to touch. He could touch anything back when he was alive. But now that he was dead... there was only one thing he could truly touch... and that was Secret. And maybe that's why whenever he touches her... he feels something special. Like right now as she lays her head on his shoulder and the tiniest bit of flesh touch... a rush of electricity runs through him. It's something that he's never truly experienced up until now.  
  
And he likes it.  
  
Soon, the gang reaches their destination...  
  
A Star Labs Research Center or more precisely, a grassy knoll a little bit away from it.  
  
As Robin and the others exit the Super-Cycle, they just stare at the grass in front of them. Bart puts down Secret and wonders what they're staring at.  
  
"Secret, is this where I died?"  
  
"Yes... yes it is, Bart." Secret said as Bart slumped to the ground. It was strange... Bart never saw where he died, but he never imagined it would be in such an ordinary place.  
  
"Bart... since it seems like you can hear us, I've got a request. Could you tell us what happened to you? Maybe that can help piece everything together..." Robin asks as he kneels down beside the smoke-screened Bart. Bart slowly nodded his head and looked towards Secret.  
  
"I'll make sure to repeat everything you say."  
  
"Okay. As you guys remember, it all started with that Star Labs doctor Victor Von Gruenwald, who due to some fluke, found a huge chunk of Kryptonite in what used to be the Hypersector portion of Metropolis after being re-tooled by the B-13 virus." Bart related as he started to float back to the time just before his death...  
  
"Emergency! Everybody head to the Super-Cycle!" Robin yells as I put my handheld game down and race to the Super-Cycle.  
  
We all pile in and after taking off, Robin begins to explain all the hub-bub around this emergency.  
  
"I just got finished listening to the news and it's bad. Turns out that a disgruntled Star scientist named Victor Von Gruenwald found a piece of Kryptonite while visiting Metropolis. He demands that if he isn't given a ransom of a Million dollars, he'll detonate the Kryptonite. He's set up the bomb at the Star Research Lab that he worked at on the outskirts of Metropolis. He claims that it has enough power to wipe out Metropolis and more."  
  
"So why are we going?"  
  
"The reason why Arrowette, is because Superman is off on a mission with the Justice League. And so far, nobody else has responded, so it's up to us."  
  
"So let's go grab the guy and get back home, I've got a game to finish!"  
  
"Will you forget about the stupid game Bart! God, you and your videogames, it's so obnoxious!" Arrowette says, but I just ignore her comments and think about how I was finally going to capture the final Pocket Monster.  
  
I remember that when we arrived, Robin had me do a quick surveillance around the place.  
  
I didn't see anything as I ran through the halls, checking out every single door. The only thing I did see was the bomb, but nothing else as I vibrated my head through the door. And that was the problem. If I had noticed one little thing, things might've turned different. Wish life had a reset button.  
  
"So, did you see anything?"  
  
"Nothing, Rob. I saw the bomb though, it's on the second floor, two doors to the right."  
  
"All right, I've got it!" Superboy said as he rushed ahead.  
  
"No! Damnit Kon, wait up! Don't do anything rash!" Robin yelled as he ran after Kon and we all ran after him.  
  
But, it was too late. Kon reached the second floor and already opened the door, triggering the one thing I didn't see.  
  
A wire attached to the door, which upon opening, tugged a button on a bomb, triggering it.  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
"Uh-oh, what?" Robin said as he walked through the door to see the bomb was now activated. As he looked at the timer, he saw that the scientist only made the timer for 30 seconds.  
  
"Oh no... I've got less than 30 seconds to disarm this thing..." Robin said as he begun to look for any openings when Superboy came up and tried to grab it from him.  
  
"You'll never disarm it in time! Let me have it and I'll dump it into space!"  
  
"That'll never work because you can't survive in space, and we don't know what'll happen when the Kryptonite goes nuclear! You wouldn't survive and even if you did deposit it in space, the radiation could still filter down to Earth! Let me disarm it!" Robin yelled as I watched both of them continue to yell about what to do with the device. It was then I started to remember about my Grandpa... and something I've seen Wally do.  
  
And I knew I could do it also.  
  
"Give me that! *Kon yells as he forcefully yanks it out of Robin's hands* Good-bye everyone. Wish me luck..." Kon said as I whipped in front of him and grabbed the bomb.  
  
"Bart, what the hell do you think you're doing?!?" He yells, but I don't say anything as I shift my body...  
  
"*Realizes what Bart might be trying to do* No Bart, give me bomb! *Grabs Bart by the collar* Bart... BART!" Kon yells as I speed away out of the room and the back portion of my collar rips off.  
  
I remember upon reaching the outside, I started circling the world... try to run as fast as I could.  
  
The first rotation, I whizzed by to see all of you run outside with shocked looks on your faces.  
  
The second rotation, I could see you all screaming something... but by this point I already broke the sound barrier and couldn't hear a word you said...  
  
By now, I was in the final seconds. I could no longer see where I was heading because light was starting to refract all around me and all I could make out was garbled colors...  
  
3  
  
"I'll make you proud, Max..."  
  
2  
  
"And all my teammates will be awed..."  
  
1  
  
And that's when I looked down to see the last second tick off...  
  
0  
  
"Oh no... GRANDPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed as I entered the Speed Force and I felt a burning sensation...  
  
"...and the only other thing I remember is finding myself in Central City, beside a poster welcoming in visitor's to the home of the Flash... my Grandpa. But... what happened afterwards?" Bart asked as he finished his story.  
  
"Well, I just remember watching you try to enter the Speed Force, and it was after you past us one final time that we saw a bright green light and a boom, right where we're standing." Robin relates as he then continues with...  
  
"It... it was here that we finally realized what you were trying to do. I... I theorized you were dead because the bomb exploded as you entered the Speed Force. The light and sound stayed here, but the actual explosion and radiation followed you in. After that, we went back home and tried to figure out who would tell who about your death. After we told Max, Wally and the others, we went on a manhunt for Victor Von Gruenwald and found him after two days of searching, hiding out in an abandoned World War 2 bunker outside of Metropolis. It was three days after that, that we... held your funeral. Max originally tried to do the Eulogy but... he just couldn't do it, so Wally took over for him. It was beautiful... we all had our individual turns to talk about you. I can't tell you what was said, because I wouldn't do it justice. After that, we all tried to move on with our lives, only to have you turn back up."  
  
"I guess the question that needs to be asked now is whether I'm Alive or Dead." Bart asked as a voice rang out...  
  
"Both. *Everyone turns their heads to see a man standing within their presence* As you entered the Speed Force, your body died, but your soul raced on. Instead of merging with the Speed Force as intended, it raced past it, back to the place it thought it should go... the mortal plane. And I'm here to take you to your real home." the man says as Bart opens his eyes wide as he recognizes who it is.  
  
"...Are you my Grandpa?"  
  
"Yes Bart, I'm your Grandpa Barry. And it's time for me to take you home."  
  
-TBC-


	5. Chapter 4: Running From The Reaper!

On the grassy knoll where Bart Allen aka Impulse lost his life, Young Justice stands amassed. A few feet away from them stands Barry Allen, the second super-speedster to adopt the name of the Flash who gave his life to save the universe from the Anti-Monitor. And standing besides Secret is Bart Allen... or at least the spirit of Bart Allen.  
  
"Are you really my Grandpa Barry?" Bart said with his eyes opened wide.  
  
"Yes, yes I am. I've waited a long time to meet you, Bart." Barry said as he dropped to his knees and held his arms out so Bart could run up to hug him.  
  
Bart said nothing in return. He just stared at his Grandpa for a few brief moments with his eyes filled with awe and wonder. He then shifted his weight to run to Barry when Secret grabs him by the arm and gets him into an armlock.  
  
"Secret, what are you doing?!? That's my Grandpa!" Bart yelled as he tried to break from her grasp.  
  
"I'm sorry Bart, but I don't think that's your Grandpa. I can sense that he's only here to take you away... away from us. I think that's the reaper."  
  
"But how could you know?" Bart asked solemnly as his eyes began to mist from being denied access to his Grandpa's embrace.  
  
"I know." Secret said as she casts a glare towards Barry. The happiness fades from his face as his eyes focus on Secret.  
  
"You don't know what you're doing, mist girl."  
  
"I know exactly what I'm doing! I'm protecting my friend! *Looks towards her comrades* If you want Bart to be with us again permanently, you have to stop that man from reaching Bart! We'll meet up with you later!" Secret yells as she vaults into the air dragging Bart along with her.  
  
Barry follows them both with his eyes only to find that when he looks back towards Young Justice, they have circled him.  
  
"Mr. Allen, please listen to me. There has to be someway to restore Bart to life rather than just dragging him into the Speed Force!"  
  
"I'm sorry Robin, but I can't do that. There really is no way to truly restore Bart to life now. And if he stays on this plane of existence any longer, soon the dead will be walking the Earth!"  
  
"Uh-uh, I ain't buying a word you say. I'm partially responsible for Bart's condition and there's no way I'm gonna allow you to get past me!" Superboy says with a look of determination on his face.  
  
"Oh really? Then I have a word of advice for you. Don't Blink."  
  
"Wh..." Kon begins to say as Barry zooms past the space between him and Arrowette and chases Bart who's still being dragged through the air by Secret.  
  
"...at?" Kon finishes saying as he notices that Barry Allen is gone as does the rest of Young Justice.  
  
Barry Allen looks up to the air and sees that he's catching up to Secret. He zooms forward of her and creates a wind funnel that thrashes Secret around, partially dispersing her, and causing her to drop Bart to the ground.  
  
"OW!" Bart yells as he wobbles his head from left to right to regain his equilibrium. That's when he sees Barry standing before him.  
  
"Bart... please take my hand. It's time to go home. There's someone whose been waiting to meet you for a long time." Barry said with a smile.  
  
Bart just stared at him. Could this just be some sort of illusion created by the Reaper of Death, and not his Grandpa? But as Bart looked into the blue eyes of his Grandfather... he realized that not even the Reaper could fake that genuine twinkle of love in Barry's eyes... and as Bart outstretched his hand...  
  
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Secret bellows as her cloak opens up and an irresistible force begins tugging at Barry Allen.  
  
But try as he might, Barry Allen cannot run away from the force and inevitably, he is sucked into her cloak.  
  
"Come on Bart, I'll take you someplace safe."  
  
"Okay." Bart said, wondering if that really is or isn't his Grandfather. Secret extends her hand but instead of grabbing it, Bart hugs her instead.  
  
Suzie smiles a little bit and pats the back of Bart's head. Then smoke envelops them both and they disappear.  
  
Barry meanwhile is deposited back to where YJ is standing, who is currently trying to figure this whole mess out.  
  
"Dang! Lost him again!"  
  
"Mr. Allen, if you're willing to tell us why Bart has to go back... then... we'll help you find him." Robin said with his head hanged low.  
  
And up on the moon, Secret and Bart materialize in the Watchtower... completely undetected.  
  
"Wow..." Bart says as he stares out the window into Outer Space "I didn't know you could teleport THIS far!"  
  
"Nei-Neither did I..." Secret says as she begins to collapse. Bart immediately catches her.  
  
"Secret, are you all right? Secret?" Bart asks as he gently strokes her face... but no reaction takes place.  
  
Bart picks her up and carries her through the corridors of the Watchtower... to finally arrive at one of the lavatories... which he lays Secret down on the floor.  
  
Bart looks at her face... noticing all the smooth curves, her lips, her eye-lashes... and thinks of how it took death to teach him the beauty of girls...  
  
He exits the bathroom and walks around the Watchtower. Bart happens to walk past JLA members Superman, Batman and Martian Manhunter. Superman and Batman walk on past him but he notices J'onn stopping for a moment... looking in Bart's general direction... only to continue walking on.  
  
Bart looks out the window thinking of all the events that have lead up to this point. And as he's looking out the window he notices something that sends a chill through his spine.  
  
He has no reflection.  
  
"So what you're telling us is that Bart really is dead?"  
  
"Yes. Unfortunately, Bart's physical body died while he was trying to run into the Speed Force but death cannot destroy the soul. But that moment of shock... the shock of dying... detoured him from entering the Speed Force and he came back here. If there were someway to create a new physical body for him, I wouldn't take him back. But the fact is that you can't clone a new body for him because you don't have cell stock... and it would be impossible to transfuse his soul into new body."  
  
"How can you say that? You're physical!"  
  
"Yes Superboy, but this body is temporary. It's meant as only a host for my soul... it will decay given a few days. And as with Bart, my presence undoes the natural spiritual balance set up by the Presence. While we're here, we weaken the spiritual balance allowing any and all spirits, good or evil, access to the physical world. Plus... there's someone Bart has never met in the Speed Force that wants to see him desperately..."  
  
And back on the moon, Secret sleeps a contented sleep. Her mind drifts... thinking of the teen that she's been protecting recently... focusing on his face and his warm smile that she has missed...  
  
Bart meanwhile is continuing to walk down the halls of the Watchtower making sure not to look out the windows so he doesn't have to be confronted with the fact that he has no reflection. That's when a tear comes to his eye as he makes a decision.  
  
He races back to the bathroom where Secret is shifting her body to make herself more comfortable. Bart is relieved to see this... but is also sad.  
  
Bart slowly puts his hand upon her face one more time... brushing away some strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face.  
  
He then exited the bathroom and headed for the JLA teleporters.  
  
He wasn't sure if it could teleport souls back to Earth, but if it couldn't, it didn't really matter...  
  
At that moment, Secret awakens. She looks around to see no sign of Bart.  
  
"Bart? Bart, where are you?" She asks in concern. She flies out of the bathroom to see no sign of Bart.  
  
Bart now is the teleporter. As the sequence begins, he notices Secret flies into the room.  
  
"Bart, what are you doing?!?" She yells as she reaches for the teleporter.  
  
But as Bart begins to disappear all he can say is...  
  
"Goodbye, Suzie."  
  
As he re-appears in a teleporter tube in the heart of Metropolis, Bart zooms out of the building where the teleporter is located and into the outskirts of Metropolis.  
  
At that moment, Barry's head snaps in Bart's general direction.  
  
"Young Justice, I can sense Bart. I have to go. I'll give him your regards." and Barry Allen runs as fast as he can towards Bart.  
  
Bart has now stopped running and is standing still on a plane of grass.  
  
And he softly says...  
  
"Come and get me, Grandpa."  
  
To Be Concluded!


	6. Finale: The Way Home...

As Bart stands on the grass, for a second he ponders if he's doing the right thing, giving himself up to Grandpa Barry. By doing this, he's never going to see his friends, his comrades in YJ, Max, Helena, Carol or Secret ever again...

But then he puts it out of his mind. It's not like any of them even know he's alive... the only reason YJ even noticed was because of Secret.

But even as he tries to delude himself into thinking that this is what he wants to do, he realizes that it isn't what he really wants. Bart closes his eyes and tears form. He falls to his knees and tears slip to the ground.

Bart wants to stay. There's so many things Bart took for granted... the smell of dew on the trees, the feeling of grass against his skin... so many things he curses himself for not noticing while he was alive.

Bart doesn't want to leave Earth... it's just that he's tired... tired of running... tired of running away from reality, running away from responsibility, running away from his death. He just wants the running to stop. And this seems to be the only way to do so.

And as Barry races onto the scene, he sees his Grandson on his knees, with his head to the ground, crying.

"Bart... are you all right?"

"No."

"It's... it's time to go." Barry says as Bart looks up to him with teary eyes.

"But... but I don't wanna!" Bart yells.

"I know. *Walks up to Bart and puts his right hand on Bart's shoulder* I didn't wanna leave either. I had so much to live for... so much I missed... and Iris..." Barry says as he begins to get choked up, "but in the end, I did what I felt I had to do to save lives. Just as you did to save your comrades. I'm proud of you for that." and as Barry said that, Bart hugged him. Barry smiled at bit for finally being able to hug his Grandson. He begins to rub the back of Bart's head.

"It's not so bad in the Speed Force... while only people connected to the Speed Force can truly access it, everyone whose in there feels a connection... a kinship. It truly is like a paradise for us."

And as Bart reflects on Barry's words, Secret meanwhile is teleporting herself down to Metropolis.

As the teleporter finishes re-integrating her molecules, Secret looks around the warehouse to see Bart's spiritual essence.

"Hang on Bart, I don't know what possessed you to come back to Earth, but I'll protect you..." Suzie says as she silently teleports… following Bart's essence to the source.

Back on the grassy plain, Barry and Bart are standing, facing each other.

"Well, it's time for us to do what we do best." Barry said with a smile on his face. As Barry took Bart's hand into his own and prepared to run, a smoke cloud appeared above them and a voice boomed...

"Stay away from Bart!" and Suzie took material form.

"Secr... Suzie, stop! This is what I want!" Bart said as Barry put his left hand on Bart's right shoulder.

"Let me handle this, Bart. Suzie... is it? I don't want to fight. Could you please come with me over here?"

"Huh?" Suzie said in confusion.

"Look, I just want to talk with you. Please?" Barry said as his eyes twinkled in a way that reminded her of Bart.

Suzie wasn't quite sure what to make of all of this, or if this was another trick, but as she looked at Bart who had the same expression in his eyes that Barry was making, she decided to go with him.

Suzie floated down towards Barry and they walked off to a plain, which was out of Bart's earshot.

"Okay, so what do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know just one thing. Do you care for my Grandson?" and Secret was taken aback by this question.

"Wha-what do you mean?"

"I mean, do you love him? You've been protecting Bart since I first laid my eyes upon my Grandson. Fiercely, intensely... more than just any friend would."

"I... I..." Suzie began to say as she was getting choked up...

"It's okay, I swear I won't tell anyone." Barry said with a warm smile. Suzie didn't budge, and Barry put his hands on her shoulders.

"Cross my heart and hope to die. Again." Barry said as Suzie let out a little laugh. She just looked up at him and then said softly...

"I do love him."

"I thought so. Suzie, I honestly do think you are in love with my Grandson. But I must know, why do you want to keep him here? Bart isn't supposed to be here, he's supposed to be in Speed Force... Valhalla... if you love him, why are you forcing him to stay here?"

At this point Suzie was breaking down. She looked up at Barry with her eyes filled with tears and said...

"Why are you so certain he has to go? I mean... why can't he stay here? I'm... I'm dead and I don't have to go, so why does he have too?!?" Suzie screamed. Barry's face saddened so he kneels down and hugs her.

"I'm so sorry, Suzie. I didn't know you were dead. I guess that's why you fell for him, since you now had somebody to relate too. I thought you were alive... but... the reason he can't stay is because he has no purpose here. Just... just like I don't. We don't fit into the scheme of things and reality goes askew because of us. You do have a purpose Suzie. I don't know what it could be, but you have a reason for existing on the Earth." Barry says as tears as still running down her face. Barry brings up his right hand and brushes them away.

"I... I guess I understand... but I still don't want to loose Bart..."

"I know. But, I see you can teleport and have some sort of... banishing ability?"

"Yes... I can do both..."

"Well, while only people connected to the Speed Force obtain powers from it and eventually join up with it, that doesn't mean people not connected can't visit. Maybe... you could learn how to teleport to it... to visit Bart. I don't think that it's too far-fetched, do you?"

"Do you really think I could do something like that?"

"Now that I think of it, if you truly love Bart, I know you can." Barry said as he stood up. Suzie looked up at Barry and saw the genuine expression on his face that gave her the confidence that she could do such a thing.

As Barry and Suzie walk hand in hand back towards Bart, the skies darken and clouds form.

An evil laughter is heard that sends chills down Barry Allen's spine.

"It couldn't be..." Barry thinks to himself as a flash of lightning hits the ground and then a yellow and red blur runs past Barry.

"No, No, NO!" Barry screams as he shifts his position and runs after the red and yellow blur.

Bart zips right besides Suzie and asks...

"Where'd Grandpa Barry go?"

"I don't know, but I think we should try to follow." Suzie said as Bart picked her up, and they ran off in the general direction of where Barry started running.

As Barry followed the trail of the yellow and red blur, he realized where it was heading.

Iris West Allen's cabin in the Mountains.

And at that precise instant, Iris was sitting at her kitchen table sipping on some coffee when it seemed a whirlwind hit the house. She was knocked out of her chair and when she regained her senses, she noticed that her cabin was ripped apart.

"Oh, not again!" Iris said as she heard a voice ring out from behind her saying,

"What, does this happen to you often?" and before Iris even fully turned around, she already knew who it was from his voice.

A voice she could never truly ever forget...

The voice of her killer...

"Professor Zoom, the Reverse Flash?!? But you're dead!"

"Dead? Quite. Had my neck snapped by your husband. Although, it seems I've escaped Hell. And just in time too, I can't wait to see his reaction when he finds you dead again..." Zoom said as he extended his hand to the frightened Iris...

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!!" A voice boomed as suddenly an arm slammed into Zoom's chest, closelining him. And before Iris could clearly see who had saved her, Zoom was picked up and was slammed into the ground 5 miles away from where Iris was.

"Why Zoom? Why are trying to kill her again?" Barry yelled at him.

"Because I hate you, Barry. My hatred for you knows no bounds. You killed me and then the single worst thing I ever did to you was taken away. I have to see you suffer, like you did when I took your beloved Iris away the first time. And this time, no 30th Century Science is going to bring her back!!!" Zoom screamed as he headbutted Barry and then taking hold of his feet, circled around spinning Barry Allen faster than Mach 3 and then threw him into the skyline.

Zoom then triumphantly ran back to see Iris scrambling for a weapon. He laughed at this and before she could blink, her neck was in his left hand.

"Time to die, hopefully for eternity!" Zoom yelled as he raised up his right hand and began to vibrate it to give the kill shot.

And as Barry ran his top speed, when he came upon the scene he saw Zoom beginning to lower his hand to kill Iris.

The first thought to go through his mind was that he had failed Iris again... that is until Zoom stopped about an inch from her face.

He then started screaming and his hands were gripping the sides of his face.

Iris didn't know what the hell was happening, but Barry and Suzie did.

Bart, with tears in his eyes, had shoved his hand into Professor Zoom's head.

Feeling like someone had shoved an ice sickle through his brain, he just continued screaming until Bart removed his hand. Then Secret opened the folds of her cloak...

"Be banished to the Abyss!" and Zoom was sucked in, having no idea what just happened.

Barry stood there silent, content with the fact that Iris was saved, by Bart no less. That is until he saw that she had been eyeing him for the last few moments.

"Oh no..." Barry said underneath his breath. He had wanted to see her so badly... but the fact remains that he was only on the Earth to collect Bart and leave. Seeing her would make Barry want to stay forever... which wasn't possible. And even if he were to spend what little time he had left with her, it wouldn't be enough. It would just sadden him that he had Iris once again only to loose her.

"Oh my God... you've come back. You've come back!" Iris said as she ran up to him and kissed him full on the lips. It was here that she noticed there was no passion in the kiss.

She looked up to his face to see him struggling to hold the tears back.

"Barry... what's wrong?"

"God Iris, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to see me. It... it is me, but I can't stay."

"Please don't say that... I've just lost Bart and now I finally get you back after all these years only to loose you again..."

"I know... that's why I didn't want to see you. The only reason I'm back... is because of Bart." and Barry points towards Secret whose smoke has now billowed over Bart and revealing his image once again.

"Is that him?"

"Yep. You see, I'm just here to pick him up and take him into the Speed Force. I wanted to see you... but I'm not supposed to be here. Bart and I being in this plane is how Zoom was able to come back... so we have to leave." Barry says as he gently cups Iris's face and kisses her.

"Take care of yourself, Iris. Don't do anything hasty, just live your life to the fullest. I'll be waiting." Barry says as he turns away and begins to walk to Bart only to have Iris grab his arm.

"Please, don't go. Take me with you!"

"What?"

"Barry, ever since you died, I've felt empty. Our twins helped alleviate that feeling for a while since part of you was within them, but the Dominator's killed them. I have no place in the future as I'm a fugitive from Earthgov and I have no place in the past with the knowledge of the future. I know you can take me into the Speed Force with you."

"But are you sure it's..."

"Barry... *Iris strokes the left side of his face* when we got married, I vowed to stay with you till death due us part. And even though you 'died' your still living in the Speed Force. So that means we're still married and I want to be by your side, no matter where you are." Barry just smirked at his wife and he answered her with a simple kiss.

At this point, Bart zipped over when he saw this.

"So, what's gonna happen now?"

"Now Bart? You, your Grandma and I are going to go into the Speed Force." and Barry's eyes focused in on Secret who was holding the folds of her cloak.

"But first, I think you should say goodbye to your friend."

"Grandpa... I'm gonna miss all of them."

"I know, Bart. But when they finally cross over, you will be able to see them. Merging with the Speed Force is a reward, but that doesn't mean people who have no connection can't visit us. And I think your friend over there will be able to come and visit you anytime she likes."

"Really?"

"Yes." Barry said as Bart's eyes filled up with awe and wonder. Bart turned around and walked up to Suzie.

He wasn't quite sure what to say. Bart cared for Suzie... a great deal, actually... but he's never really talked to a girl in the way he wants to talk to Suzie... mostly because it never crossed his mind before.

So as Bart walked up to Suzie, he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Well Suzie... it's time for me to go. Um, I really appreciated your help and I enjoyed the time we spent together... *grinds his foot in the ground* and Grandpa said that you have the power to come and visit and I would like that alot, y'know if you would..."

"Bart, do me a favor. Just shut up and kiss me." Suzie said as she grabbed Bart and they kissed.

Barry let out a little laugh at that only to have Iris elbow him in the chest to stop.

As Bart and Suzie stopped kissing, only one word came out of his mouth.

"Wow." and that's all he could say as he stumbled back to his Grandpa and Grandma.

"Wow... I... uh, wow."

"Ready to go, Bart?"

"Hmm? Oh...oh yeah... I'm ready." Bart said as he shook off the influence of the kiss.

"Ready Iris?"

"As I'll ever be!" and Barry picks her up. Then Bart looks to Secret and says,

"Bye Suzie."

"Bye Bart." and before she can even blink, Barry Allen, Iris Allen and Bart Allen have started their journey to Valhalla.

Bart didn't bother to even count how many times he had circled the world when he started running. He just closed his eyes and embraced the feeling of the energy... of merging with the Speed Force.

When Bart opened his eyes again, he was there.

"Welcome home, Bart." Barry said.

It was the most beautiful thing Bart had ever seen. A white background that brought serenity to the soul and thousands of Speedsters conversing amongst each other and beings of pure light.

One such light flew up to Barry Allen.

"Congratulations to you for bringing the boy back, Barry. And who is this female?"

"She's my wife, Iris Allen."

"Ah, the one you're always talking about..."

And as Barry and the being of light converse, a man with golden blonde hair and blue eyes spots Bart and begins to work his way thru the crowd.

Barry catches a glimpse of the man and informs the being of light that he'll catch up him later.

Barry grabs Iris and they both watch as the man walks up to Bart.

"Hello Bartholomew." 

Bart looks up at the man and recognizes him slightly.

"Do I... know you from somewhere?"

"You should. You see... I'm Don Allen. I'm your father." Don said as he looked his son in the eyes for the first time in a long time.

"Dad?" Bart says softly as he then yells, "DAD!!!" and Bart races into his arms. Barry looks at Iris and she at him, and Barry squeezes her hand.

Don hugs his son and tears escape his eyes. He rubs the back of Bart's head and says...

"I know what you did Bart... and I'm proud of you."

Then Dawn came out to meet her nephew, then Barry and Iris move in and people surround Bart.

Suzie does learn to visit Bart and visited him quite often until her mission on Earth was completed. At that time when she visited, it was for good.

Hours turn into days, days into months, months in years, and years into centuries.

Soon, old friends from his life on Earth began to visit, teammates, mentor's and surrogate fathers.

Merged with the Speed Force, with old friends all around him, loving family and the woman he loves at his side, Bart Allen is content for the rest of Eternity.

What better reward could there be for someone who sacrificed his life for a noble cause?

The End


End file.
